John Seigenthaler's impact: Al Gore, Jim Cooper, more share memories

NAS
4:13 p.m. CDT July 11, 2014

Vice President Al Gore is presented his personnel file from his days at The Tennessean by John Seigenthaler in 1997 at an event in Rosslyn, Va. Seigenthaler hired Gore as a reporter and later encouraged him to run for public office.
(Photo:
Gannett
)

John Seigenthaler, a legendary Tennessee journalist, intimate confidante to two near-presidents and fierce advocate for racial equality, died Friday. He was 86. Mr. Seigenthaler passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family.

"He was one of the most important teachers and mentors and role models in my life. He had a passion for seeking the truth that pulled him and everyone working for him in an extremely powerful way toward the core truths about whatever subject was under investigation or being reported.

"John Seigenthaler had a degree of professionalism and dedication that was inspiring, motivating and uncompromising. He was fearless and tireless, especially when he was on the trail of something that he felt was important to the public interest. I always thought that one of the secrets to his success was a concept that I learned how to name much later in my life.

"Mohandas Gandhi said that the most powerful force for change was something he called satyagraha. I don't know how to spell it or say it, but it translates roughly in English to 'truth-force.' When you tap into that truth force, it parts the waters and brings about positive change. That may be an arcane way to describe it, but it's the closest concept to what I always felt was the source of John's power for good in his work. It was a tremendous privilege to learn from him and work with him."

Former Gov. Phil Bredesen

"I think John Seigenthaler must have been one of the first people of any prominence at all that I met when I first came to Nashville. And of course, he was an enormously prominent and influential person. I came down here. I didn't have a job. I first of all came to The Tennessean seeking a part-time job writing book reviews, and they declined to hire me. But I came to John's attention. He asked me to stop down one Saturday morning. He was in his office. He was very kind and generous. As I was getting ready to leave, some other political figures in town came in.

"One of the things I remember about him is that at a time when I was a brand-new resident, as non-prominent as you can possibly be in this town without a job, John Seigenthaler, the publisher of The Tennessean, was more than happy to sit down and talk with me and give me some advice, some thoughts and an opportunity to meet some people. I've always appreciated it.

"Over the years, our paths have crossed a lot. He always had a very old-time view about the newspaper, which is that it was supposed to be about something. So John used to drive me crazy when I was running for office because John would decide what his position was and that's what it was. I love that kind of journalism that he represents. Sometimes it worked against me. Sometimes it worked for me. He was always there, alive; the newspaper was crafted in his image in a lot of ways. ...

"I tremendously respect his view of things. There have been a lot of times in politics when I've been up against a difficult thing, and didn't know how to handle it. Unfailing, I've given him a call."

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper

"If there is any Tennessean anybody asks you about at a dinner party anywhere in the nation, it's John Seigenthaler. He's just kind of cool. He married this beautiful jazz singer. He's not rich or showy. He's cool. ...

"Everybody was so jealous that he was so tight with Al (Gore). He was always fair. I can't complain. There are very few people that are larger than life. He's one. He breeds excellence."

"He's got no successors. Nobody can hope to fill his shoes."

Alice Randall, author

"John Seigenthaler is one of my favorite people on the planet. He is also a friend to writing and art. He is utterly charming. He is one of the pillars of this community you can count on to move the justice forward.

"I wrote 'The Wind Done Gone' and Margaret Mitchell's estate sued me for $10 million. I was so distraught. I remember being up in my bedroom and trying to figure out who to call. I called John Seigenthaler, and he told me to appeal to justice. He assured me that good and right people would be on the side of the book being published.

"To feel the power of his moral vision, that we all have a right to have our say. He was really a person who I turned to for advice. And he helped me to do the hard, right thing, to stand by my book and see it published."